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The U.S. Space Force awarded AST SpaceMobile a $100 million contract for space-based sensing, extending the company’s government work beyond satellite communications. Management characterized the award as an initial step toward a potentially larger program, but no follow-on procurement, schedule, contract mechanism, or competition details have been provided.
The U.S. Space Force awarded Anduril Industries, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Peerless Technologies Phase I agreements totaling roughly $10 million for a three-month SEWOL command-and-control prototype competition. The competition will evaluate working software and could lead to one company’s selection for a $60 million prototype program to build the operational system.
The U.S. Space Force awarded Rocket Lab a suborbital launch-services program covering 12 launches, with options for six more and a potential value of $266 million, plus the SB-AMTI Flatellite program valued at up to approximately $397 million. The awards are not open solicitations; suppliers can monitor execution and assess potential support needs in launch services, satellite production, and operations.
The U.S. Space Force announced a technology-development contract for national-security space-based sensing, with STR as prime and AST SpaceMobile as subcontractor. The undisclosed value, contract number, and performance period leave the effort’s scale and timing of potential follow-on procurement uncertain.
Voyager Technologies appointed retired Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, former chief of space operations, chairman of its board of advisers. The move adds senior Space Force experience to the company’s guidance on space and defense work, customer requirements, and the threat environment, but signals no specific solicitation, award, or procurement timeline.
SpaceX is directing substantial launch capacity toward Starlink and AI-related infrastructure and has stopped offering launch services for some planned lunar cargo missions. The change increases supplier and schedule risk for NASA’s Artemis and lunar-base plans, while creating potential openings for alternative launch and cargo providers; no specific solicitation or deadline is identified.
The U.S. Space Force exercised an option to continue Iridium Communications’ Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services at the existing rate through March 2027. A 2027 renewal is anticipated but unconfirmed, leaving follow-on timing and acquisition strategy unspecified as Iridium’s proposed acquisition by Rocket Lab remains subject to approvals and closing conditions.
The U.S. Space Force has onboarded Rocket Lab to its $981 million NITE-STAR IDIQ contract, allowing the company to compete for critical task orders. This partnership signals Rocket Lab's growth in the defense space sector, potentially enhancing competition and innovation in military satellite communications.
The Space Superiority Readiness Act of 2026 proposes enhancements to Space Force training and simulation. This legislation reflects increased congressional focus on space readiness, which may lead to heightened procurement opportunities for industry professionals.
In May 2026, the U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a substantial $2.29 billion contract to develop a cutting-edge low Earth orbit communication network. This initiative underscores a significant pivot towards enhancing military satellite communications and missile defense integration, expected to achieve operational capability by the end of 2027.
The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract for developing the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program. This initiative aims to establish a satellite constellation to enhance global airborne threat tracking by 2028, fostering innovation through a hybrid OTA and ID/IQ model.